A HUGE wave is being blamed for the death of a Wirral man who drowned after being washed out to sea in North Wales.

Craig Craven, 22, from Woodchurch Road, Prenton, was plucked from the sea in Cemaes Bay off Anglesey and airlifted to hospital on Saturday night.

Doctors desperately tried in vain to revive him.

His friend, Phil McWilliam, 24, who lives doors away on the same street was initially fighting for his life after jumping into the choppy waters in a bid to rescue him.

He was pulled from the sea on to a rock by a member of the Cemaes coastguard team and his condition was said to be improving at Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital, Bangor.

Last night, Craig’s grieving father Michael said: “My head is all over the place.”

But as the family was still trying to establish exactly how Craig lost his life, he said it was “too soon” to comment further.

A friend told the ECHO the pair were staying in the area for the weekend and Phil had gone looking for a suitable spot for a planned fishing trip the following day “when the wave dragged Craig out to sea”.

He added: “Phil tried to attract attention and then jumped into the water to try and rescue his mate.

“Sadly he couldn’t get to him and he himself got into difficulties. He thinks he may have been in the water for up to 45 minutes.”

It is believed they were staying at the Ystrad Parc Lodge campsite at Cemaes but a site spokesman refused to confirm the reports.

The alarm was raised by a member of the public who saw one man in difficulties off Cemaes at about 9.45pm.

A Moelfre lifeboat was launched and an RAF rescue helicopter scrambled but strong winds and rough seas and rocks made manoeuvring the boat into the bay treacherous.

Watch manager for Holyhead Coastguard Ray Carson said: “Without a doubt this man (Phil) was saved by the prompt action of the coastguard and the lifeboat crew.”

He added: “The first casualty, a man aged 22, was rescued by helicopter and taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd but unfortunately later died.”

A North Wales police spokeswoman said they were not treating the death as suspicious but were appealing for any witnesses to contact police on 0845 607 1002 or 0845 607 1001 (Welsh language line).